Initial Thesis Abstract: Exhibition as a Project: the aftermath of 1976

As the title of this thesis implies, its initial objective is to question the role of an architectural exhibition by contemplating it as a project and finally test its afterlife. The device, through which I evaluate this hypothesis, is the exhibition “Europe/America: Historic Centre – Suburban Alternatives”, which is a segment of the 1976 Venice Biennale. The exhibition becomes prominent for three particular reasons; one, it brings into confrontation the international contemporary architects of two generations; two, it is considered to be the end of a broad discourse on the legacy of the Modern Movement; and three, it presents the so-called “New York – Venice axis.” Looking at this event within a historical perspective and considering it as a project allows a profound understanding of its specifications and an unpacking of its aims and effects.